wish: BBD Delay

oscilloclast · Joined: Sep 29, 2005 Posts: 49 Location: VA

Thanks, that is an excellent article.

vtl5c3 · Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 9:39 am Post subject:

RE: http://www.aeri.com/counterfeits.html

It's a nefarious plot to bring Synth DIY to a grinding halt! Evil or Very Mad

TekniK · Joined: Aug 10, 2008 Posts: 1059

ok,something positive now Very Happy

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dingebre · Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:03 am Post subject:

oscilloclast · Joined: Sep 29, 2005 Posts: 49 Location: VA

Thanks for the reply David. Thats good to know that your MN3005s had the circular indent and that they worked. I don't believe that utsource deliberately sold me the counterfeits, I think they just were not paying attention. They have offered to refund my money (or send me new chips). And beyond the counterfeit chips (which according to the article can happen to any retailer) they seem like they are easy to deal with. Keep us informed how the other source for the 3005s works out.

Thanks,
David

TekniK · Joined: Aug 10, 2008 Posts: 1059

I did take time today to test my ic's i got from utsource and smallbear,

i did buy 4 from smallbear and 13 from UTsource and they all work.

oscilloclast · Joined: Sep 29, 2005 Posts: 49 Location: VA

Could you do me a favor and tell me if your MN3005 chips have a circular indent (dot) on the top (not the orientation notch)?

Thanks
David

TekniK · Joined: Aug 10, 2008 Posts: 1059

oscilloclast · Joined: Sep 29, 2005 Posts: 49 Location: VA

Thanks for the pictures! Your pictures and every single picture I can find on the net (of real ICs) and the IC spec sheet clearly show the circular indent. My chips don't have the indent so I'll have to see if utsource can send me some non-counterfeit chips.

Thanks,
David

jaidee · Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 3:43 am Post subject: Re: fake MN3005

Within the last few days I've received a couple of MN3005 chips from utsource.

They do not work - they are either dead/defective or fake (tested in my Blacet Time Delay).

They do not have the circular indent on the top which David has mentioned.

They do have a circular indent on the underside which has a different number stamp for each chip.

I've pointed out the problem to utsource and have had a prompt acknowledgement for them asking for clarification of the problem and the "reason" (I cant't tell them anything more than the chips do not work when because they are either dead or fake).

Hopefully, they'll resolve this satisfactorily. I'll keep you posted.

Best wishes to all for 2010.

James

TekniK · Joined: Aug 10, 2008 Posts: 1059

Btw,did anyone that already did buy MN3005 from utsource got a mail from them after with the offer to have a quote to buy more MN3005 ?

I strangly got one 4-5 weeks ago in fact

magman · Joined: Feb 04, 2009 Posts: 363 Location: Liverpool, UK

oldschool57 · Joined: Nov 15, 2006 Posts: 17 Location: Bellerose, NY

I should be receiving some MN3005's I ordered from Utsource sometime his week. I will test them, take pics and post the results ASAP. In the mean time; David and James; do you think you could take & post pics of the suspect/not working 3005's? Also, have you folks tried to see if the print on them was removable w/acetone or the mineral spirits/alcohol mix described in the "Detection of Counterfeits" article linked earlier ?
Thanks!
Dave

oscilloclast · Joined: Sep 29, 2005 Posts: 49 Location: VA

The 4 chips on the left are the "counterfeits" that I received from utsource. The chip on the right is a real MN3005 (from my Doepfer delay). As can be seen in the photo the "counterfeit" chips on the left have very weakly printed text and no circular indentation on the top (which the real chip on the right has). I have not tried to see if solvent will wash away the text because I don't want utsource saying I damaged the chips. The chips also have different length legs (the real chip has longer legs).

David

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oscilloclast · Joined: Sep 29, 2005 Posts: 49 Location: VA

The MN3005 on the right (the taller one) is the one that works, the chip on the left is most likely a counterfeit.

David

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strategy · Joined: Jan 03, 2009 Posts: 87 Location: portland, oregon

Argh, just got my UTsource MN3005's along with a couple other chips. I am going to test them in my Dlx Memory Man tomorrow to see if they work, but they are also non-indented ones so I'm feeling bummed already.

the other issue is that my Dlx Memory Man has weird quirks and is not the best test 'vehicle', but it's all I've got now that takes the chip. If anyone in the Portland, OR area has something that takes MN3005's and doesn't mind me giving these chips a spin that would be appreciated.

what I noticed on UT source is when you select your desired chip they actually give you a range of options for that chip, like maybe they are drawing from multiple suppliers. I think I chose arbitrarily, I can't remember what all the parameters were, but they show you a little table with different lines but all the same part, but with slight differences. this may account for how some chips are coming up bad and others fine, these guys are probably more like a broker/pipeline for a number of different, some good and some bad, parts suppliers.

- Strategy

xpmtl · Joined: Aug 10, 2007 Posts: 162 Location: Brussels, Belgium

I just received a mail from UTSOURCE stating they got fake MN3005 from their supplier. Maybe a good idea to avoid them for the moment.

I also ordered mine on the 5/12/2009 and still no package has showed up...

Rolling Eyes

numbertalk · Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 7:33 am Post subject:

Could be plausible. I've ordered some ICs from them - have used 2 of them and they checked out ok. I'll check out the others soon and post something if I have any issues.

oldschool57 · Joined: Nov 15, 2006 Posts: 17 Location: Bellerose, NY

Thanks for posting those pics. Those IC's don't look anything like the 3005's I have in my BBD stash.
I guess somebody at UT didn't read that article. Rolling Eyes

Or, just didn't care...
Dave

TekniK · Joined: Aug 10, 2008 Posts: 1059

xpmtl · Joined: Aug 10, 2007 Posts: 162 Location: Brussels, Belgium

Now that i'm quite certain i'll get fake ones, is there a way to test the chips before I send them back?

Is there a simple circuit I can build (breadboard) or a way to see if they are working?

strategy · Joined: Jan 03, 2009 Posts: 87 Location: portland, oregon

this morning I got this same email.
- Strategy

oscilloclast · Joined: Sep 29, 2005 Posts: 49 Location: VA

I got the same Email from utsource and I've asked for a refund. My 2 cents on the whole issue is if you get chips without the circular indent and you can't test them I would assume that they are fakes. If anyone finds another source please say so.

If nothing else this whole issue has given me a really in depth education on the whole fascinating world of counterfeit chips.

David

dingebre · Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 9:55 am Post subject:

strategy · Joined: Jan 03, 2009 Posts: 87 Location: portland, oregon

Hmmm, I'd debated whether or not to request a replacement chip from UTsource, but if their replacement stock is also counterfeit that's too bad. The other chips they sent seem like the real deal, so maybe I'll see if they can offer me a 'store credit' and hope that whatever I order is not subject to the same dodginess.

Lesson learned, go to small bear first, your extra $ pays for the tested guarantee. I usually go to them first for a lot of specialty parts anyways...

- Strategy